Strengthening Carnivore Conservation through Data and Collaboration in Laikipia, Isiolo & Samburu

Key stakeholders from the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), the Wildlife Research Training Institute (WRTI), Action for Cheetahs in Kenya (ACK), and partner organizations recently convened to review progress in the Laikipia-Isiolo-Samburu (LIS) landscape, assess the status of carnivore populations, and align on next steps for monitoring, fundraising, and data coordination.

The meeting opened with a recap of ongoing LIS activities, where participants shared updates on implementation, identified priority actions, and discussed fundraising and awareness initiatives spearheaded by ACK. A key discussion focused on the critical role of data hubs in supporting integrated management and decision-making at the landscape level, with the Laikipia Conservancies Association (LCA) highlighted as a strong example of an organization providing coordinated data and technical support across sites.

Participants explored proposals for standardized species update briefs to ensure consistent and clear reporting across all carnivore monitoring activities. The carnivore status workshop provided detailed updates on lions, leopards, wild dogs, cheetahs, hyenas, birds of prey, and small- to medium-sized carnivores, with emphasis on population trends, monitoring approaches, and the development of actionable conservation plans. These discussions highlighted the importance of harmonized indicators and coordinated data to improve the effectiveness of carnivore conservation and human–wildlife conflict mitigation.

In addition, KWS presented an update on ongoing human–wildlife conflict challenges and response efforts, while WRTI shared research findings and stressed the importance of linking scientific outputs with operational data platforms to inform management decisions.

The gathering concluded with a shared commitment to strengthen cross-institutional collaboration, integrate data systems, and advance evidence-based strategies for carnivore conservation and conflict management across the LIS landscape.